


To Jump The Looking Glass

by ArtemisDiana



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-15
Updated: 2012-12-14
Packaged: 2017-11-21 04:17:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/593362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisDiana/pseuds/ArtemisDiana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Re-imagination of 'The Girl Who Waited' for Katie</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Jump The Looking Glass

     'Trust me when I say I know that Doctor.'

     She looks up, the wall the only thing keeping her standing as her tears whisper down her cheeks.

     'And we're going to save you.'

     Trust him, the voice said, Trust in the Doctor. That, she could do, and easily. She scrubbed at her face with her sleeve, heedless of the mascara dragging down in thick streaks as she straightened.

     'Who are you? How do you know the Doctor? How are you talking to me?'

     'Er... Well... I'm Rory, Rory Williams. And I... Guess I travel with the Doctor, and I'm using... A giant... Magnifying glass to talk to you? I don't know, he just pointed his sonic thingie at it, muttered about 'at least it wasn't wood', and then told me to talk to you!'

     Rose laughs wetly, her fingertips coming up to press at her eyes as she feels a fresh wave of tears well up. that was most definitely her Doctor.

     'Rory, huh?'

     Her tongue pokes out between her teeth as she frowns.

     'How'd the Doctor run into you? Did he blow something up?'

     She pats at her pockets until she comes up with a marker and starts scribbling on the wall.

     'Oh... Well... He kinda kidnapped my fiance... Say, what's your name? The Doctor never said. Just something about wolves.'

     Rose blinks, slowing to a stop.

     'He didn't, did he? I'm Rose Tyler. It's fantastic to meet you, Rory.'

     There is a profound silence, then, "THE Rose Tyler?!"

     She grins, scribbling a little more before she hears Jackie come up behind her.

     '... Rose, dear? Are you alright? You're... Talking to a blank wall...'

     'I'm fine, Mum, just talking to Rory about the Doctor. Rory, say hello to my mum, Jackie Tyler.'

     His quiet 'Hello, Mrs. Tyler' shocks her mum into blessed silence, and she takes advantage of it.

     'Do you know how soon the Doctor will be coming, Rory? Do I need to stay here?'

     She finishes writing, taking a step back to admire her handiwork. She can hear him turn away and start yelling into what she assumes is the Tardis, judging by the sudden banging and grinding of gears.

     'Oi! How long do I have to keep holding this?! She wants to know when you're going to get her!'

     Rose can hear a female voice yelling back, but she can't quite make out the words, no matter how hard she tries, and she scowls.

     'Rory? Rory, tell the idiot that I've written out Gallifreyan on the wall here. I know he can feel it. Maybe he'll actually be on time.'

     There's a wounded sound, and her scowl lifts slightly.

      'I am not an idiot! Rory, you tell her to take that back! Rose! How could you?'

     He gets closer to Rory as he speaks, and she smiles a little as his voice gets stronger.

     'Hello, Doctor. It's good to hear you, though it sounds like you've regenerated again.'

     'Wait, wait, wait. You mean he's not always thought bowties were cool, or wore pants that were too short, or had crazy hair?'

     'Rory! You ssh right now!'

     'But Doctor!'

     Rose laughs, leaning against the wall as she closes her eyes; even the voice of her Doctor is a comfort. Jackie took the opportunity to herd everyone else out of the room, quieting their questions until they were all outside. She'd come back in a bit to check on Rose, and pick up the pieces if the Doctor couldn't follow through.

     'Rose! Rose, the Tardis has a lock on you and the writing, so don't go away, alright? Rory, don't let go of the Looking Glass, it'll keep her timestrean with ours.'

     'Doctor, after we pick Rose up, we're going to get Amy, right? I don't mean to leave her here!'

     Amy? That must be Rory's fiance, the one that the Doctor had been traveling with. There was a sharp, acid burn of jealousy in the back of her throat before she pushed it down and away. She would never be selfish enough to ask the Doctor to travel alone, and she had no idea what part of his own timeline the Doctor was in. What was moments for her could have been centuries for him.

     'Yes, yes, we'll get Amy, we just need to rescue Rose first. We've only got a small window to get her!'

     Rose hears the door close, and Rory is muttering about madmen in boxes as the Tardis starts up. The familiar sound makes her heart skip in her chest, and she shivers as she waits.

     'Rory?'

     'Yeah?'

     'How long have you traveled with him?'

     He laughs, and she grins in response.

     'Oh, long enough, I suppose, and... Still not long enough, really.'

     Rose could certainly understand the sentiment, though it seemed she may yet have a little more time with her Doctor. The wall began to shudder beneath her touch, even before the welcome sound touched her ears. Her beloved Tardis faded into sight, and she bit down on her lip in an effort to keep from bursting into tears. They'd only been separated for mere minutes, yet the Tardis, was so very, very different. The box was still Tardis blue, but... It was newer, cleaner... Not what she had known. She covered her mouth with one trembling hand as she stared, only slightly aware of Rory calling to her.

     'Rose? Rose, are you okay? Rose? Rose!'

     'I'm... I'm alright, Rory, just surprised. The last time... Last time he regenerated, the Tardis didn't change at all.'

     There's a hum of acknowledgement from Rory, but her attention is riveted on the door as it opens. The door swung in slowly, and Rose's heart pounded in her chest as her Doctor steped out. Well... Not precisely her Doctor anymore, and his gangly limbs and lopsided smile only set him apart that much more. Not that she didn't love her Doctor, oh no, it would just be a new face, a new personality to get to know all over again. She smiled softly, and his face brightened as he held out a hand.

     'Well? Aren't you coming?'

     She took his hand, relishing in the warmth against her palm, and let herself be drawn into the Tardis. She looked around in both awe and melancholy, taking notice of all that had changed as the Doctor shut the door behind her.

     'Sexy, you remembered to keep Rose's things, didn't you?'

     He jimmied levers and smashed buttons as he spoke, and Rose watched him with fond eyes as she felt the Tardis tremble around her. A hallway lit up to one side of the main console, and she smiled widely as she trailed a hand along one of the Tardis' railings.

     'It's good to see you too, sweetheart. It'll have to wait, though. We're off to save Amy, or so Rory says.'

     There's a soft purr in the back of her mind and she relaxed into it. She was home again, and she really could have forever with her Doctor and his Tardis, and maybe Rory and Amy as well. The Tardis shivered to a stop, and Rose followed the Doctor outside.

     'Alright, Rory! Rory, meet Rose! Rose, meet Rory. Now, off to save Amelia Pond!'

     He turns and wobbles, and Rose has to bite down on a giggle at seeing her Doctor so ungainly. Rory sidled up next to her, shoulders just barely brushing and she tilted her head as he whispered to her.

     'So... How long did you travel with him? Because he mentions you when he thinks we're not paying attention, and he'll talk to the Tardis about you. There's even a labeled room that we're not to go in.'

      She smiled slowly, eyes shining just the slightest bit gold as she watched the Doctor.

     'Oh, long enough I suppose. Still not long enough, really. Never long enough.'

     Rory grinned, nudging into her a little more, and she laughed at her own small joke, quoting his earlier comment.

     'So... Were you two...?'

     Rose stilled, tears scalding the corners of her eyes before she willed them down. He wasn't gone, they weren't separated anymore, and she. Would. Not. Cry. Rory pulled away slightly, just enough for her to notice the lack of warmth against her shoulder, and she found herself aching slightly at its loss.

     'Sorry, shouldn't have asked.'

     She shook her head, leaning back into him, searching for the comforting heat. The other Torchwood had been so very, very cold, and not even the last remnants of Bad Wolf had been enough to keep her warm when she'd been so far from her Doctor. She focuses past the Doctor as movement catches her eye, and her stomach roils unpleasantly.

     'Is that... Purple thing...'

     'Yeah... I didn't even ask...'

     She's grotesquely fascinated by it, until the Doctor bangs the door open and leans out.

     'Oi! Come on! We've got a Pond to rescue!'

     They both hurried onto the Tardis, the Doctor attaching the magnifying glass to the console as Rose shut the door.

     'This locked onto Amy permanently. Play the signal into the console, the Tardis will follow it.'

     Rose is fascinated as the Doctor clamps a connection from the glass to another portion of the console, type player spinning and smoking as he bustles around.

     'Now then, I know you're in here...'

     He rummages through a tackle box, past ringing alarm clocks and various other bits and bobs and wiring until he holds up a pair of glasses in triumph.

     'Haha! How do I look?'

     He turned to Rory, expectant look on his face, and Rose laughed behind her hand.

     'Ridiculous.'

     The Doctor only smiles and points to them with both hands.

     'Glasses are cool, see?'

     He takes them off and slides them onto Rory's face, and Rose watches in amusement.

     'Oh. Yes. Hello, handsome man!'

     Rory flushes slightly and smiles, and Rose shakes in silent laughter as he shuffles slightly.

     'Oh, hello...'

     'Hello, Rory-Cam!'

     'Huh?'

     Rory turns around, and Rose bursts into delighted giggles as Rory rolls his eyes.

     'Oh, you can see what I see.'

     'We're breaking into Twin Streams. Now, I can't go in there, the disease will kill me, no regeneration, but Rose will be with you. Now you two will be my eyes and ears.'

     He tapped at Rory's face as he spoke, and Rose sobered as the Doctor grew momentarily serious, his ever-present smile fading from his face.

     'Rory-Cam. Save Amy. Got it.'

     'That's the spirit. Now. Smashing through a time wall could get a bit hairy.'

     'Is it safe?'

     Rose stepped closer, worry creeping into her voice even as the adrenalin pumped through her.

     'Don't know, never tried. Best hold onto something!'

     They fumbled for one of the railings, Rory wrapping a strong arm around her shoulders when she didn't make it in time as the Doctor flipped levers and the Tardis shuddered violently around them. When She had slammed to a stop, they scrambled to regain their balance and hurried out. Rose waved goodbye to the Doctor, and trailed a hand down the Tardis' doorframe in farewell. She can feel the Tardis settle, watchful, in the back of her mind, knows she'll have Her strength if Bad Wolf is needed. The pair started out into the hallway, wandering slowly past the never-ending white walls and pedestals of art.

     'Red Waterfall, we made it!'

     'Good on us!'

     The slightly tinny sound of the Doctor's voice coming from the glasses cracked a smile across Rose's face,and Rory grinned back.

     'How do we know we're in the same Red Waterfall as Amy?'

     Rose could understand his panic, didn't want to think about being locked away from her Doctor again, fighting to find him before one of them died.

     'Focus on the positive. We locked onto Amy's time stream. Eyes front, soldier!'

     Rose giggled as Rory yanked his eyes away from the statue, embarrassed flush spreading over his cheeks as he clapped his hands together to cover the awkwardness.

     'Right, yes, sorry!'

     They wandered further down the hallway, poking and prodding at the various pieces of art and what must pass for art on other planets.

     'Appalapachians are the great cultural scavengers, you two. This gallery is a scrapbook of all their favorite places.'

     Rory stared at the Mona Lisa a little longer, and Rose wondered how far in the future they were that it could be here? Or was it just a copy?

     'So a bit of Earth, a bit of alien, a bit of... Whatever the hell that is...'


End file.
